Adjustable binder.



P. W. DARGIN.

ADJUSTABLE BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1913.

Patented Dec. 80, 1913.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Application filed January 22, 1913. Serial No. 743,464.

other suitable material. The bundle of papers with theboards 6 in place, as shown To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY W. DARGIN, a States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Binders; and I do. declare the. following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,-and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in adjustable binders for bundles, and has for one of its objects ,to provide convenient means for quickly binding together bundles of papers such, for instance, as bank notes or legal documents, said binding means being very readily and quickly removable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metallic binder of this nature so constructed as to prevent damage to the edges of the papers when the binder is being adjusted thereon.

A further object is to provide a binder in which the members thereof shall look when they have reached the desired adjustment instead of making it necessary to push them two of my improved ad ustable binders, but it should be understood that the number of binders employed is immaterial, and will depend merely upon the size and length of the bundle. V

The binders are each composed of two U-shaped members 7 and 8, slightly wider than the boards 6. The arms 9 of the members 7 have their sides bent inwardly as at 10 to form flanges extending approximately at right angles to the main portions of the Near their free extremities the arms 9 are offset inwardly at 11, the oifset portions being slotted at arms 9. These slots 12 leave narrow strips 13 which are in planes substantially parallel to the main portions of the arms 9. A series of perforations 14 are made in each of the arms 9 along the longitudinal median lines thereof.

The U-shaped member 8 is formed of material narrower than that of the member 7, the arms 15 being just wide enough to slide loosely in the slots 12 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Both of the members 7 and 8 may be formed of spring material but it is essential that such material be used for the member '8, as the arms 15, when'in place in the slots 12 must have a tendency to spring out wardly. They are provided near their outer ends with small outwardly projecting lugs 16. Small rounded bosses 17 are provided as convenient thumb and finger pieces, although these are unessential to the proper operation of my binder, and may be omitted if desired.

to cause them to lock.-

Other objects will appear hereinafter as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention, which for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fi ure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating t e application of my improved binder to a bundle of papers. Fig. 2 is a section of'the binder taken upon the line 22, Fig. 1 and illustrating the bundle in outline only. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of one member of the binder. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the other member of the binder.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts in each of the views.

In the drawing, which forms a part of this specification the numeral 5 refers to a bundle or ackage of papers of approximately uni orm size or papers folded to approximately uniform size.

6 are boards of suitable thickness placed below and on top of the papers 5. These boards are made of wood, straw board, or

the member 7 is placed around the under side of the bundle or package and the member 8 is grasped by the thumb and finger upon the bosses 17 and suflicient pressure exerted to cause the arms 15 to swing into parallel positions when they may be inserted in the slots 12. The member 8 is then pushed down until it tightly clamps the bundle, the lugs 16, int-he meantime sliding from one pair of perforations 14, to the next, this being permitted by the inclined faces of the lugs 16.

When it is desired to remove the hinder, the bundle is grasped in one hand, and the member 8 is grasped by the other hand, the thumb and finger being applied to the bosses In putting into use my improved binder in Fig. l are bound together by means of 12 transversely to the by experiment 17 as before, and suliicient pressure applied l to cause the lugs 16 to be withdrawn from the perforations 1a wit-h which they are in engagement, when the arms 15 may be readily withdrawn.

' Particular attention is called to the side flanges 10, and the offset strip 13 which together hold the papers away from the arms 15 when the latter are being pushed into place and thereby prevent damages to the papers by the ends of the arms 15. These flanges and strip also constitute a housing which provides room for the inward flexure of the arms 15 when the binder is being removed from the bundle. 1

Further it should be noted that in my device the metal portions of the members 7 and 8 are normally bowed outwardly. When a binder of this nature is clamped tightly upon a bundle of papers the thin material in the middle portions of the members is bent outwardly with the result that the parts corresponding to the arms 9 and 15 in my device are deflected inwardly, causing the extremities to rub against the edges of the paper to the damage of the latter, and also making it extremely diflicult to unfasten the binding members when it is desired to remove them from the bundle. By giving the central ortions normally that degree of curvature w iich I have discovered is usual in straight members after the binders have been clamped upon a bundle I overcome entirely the deflection of the arms and the consequent disadvantages above pointed out.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination a U-shaped bar, the parallel arms of which are provided near their extremities with inwardly extending offsets having transverse slots therein, a second U-shaped member of spring material, the substantially arallel arms of which tend to spring outwar ing lugs upon the extremities of'said last named arms, said first named arms having ly and outwardly extendperforations therein adapted to receive the lugs when thearms'of the second named U-shaped member are passedthrough said] slots. r v

2. An adjustable binder,composed oftwo U-shaped members, the arms of one of said members having their sides bent'inwardly and their free extremities offset inwardly for a distance approximately equal tothe' bends in the sides said offset portions having transverse slots therein for the reception of the arms of the other U-shaped member.

8. An adjustable binder com U-shaped members the arms of one of said members offset inwardly, said offsets being provided with transversely extending slots for the reception of the arms of the other U- haped member, the latter arms having a tendency to spring outwardly and releasable automatic fastening means for holding together'the corresponding arms of said U-shaped members in any one of a series justments.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two witnesses. I I

PERCY W. DARGIN.

Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, IRA E. DOLAN.

near their free extremities being of different adosed of two I 

